ED files charge sheet against Brazil aviation firm

A charge sheet has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to a UPA-era defence deal with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embrarer SA, Singapore-based Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd, KRBL Ltd and its director Anoop Kumar Gupta and others for the procurement of three fully modified EMB-145 aircraft.

New Delhi:The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet in a money laundering case linked to a UPA-era defence deal with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embrarer SA, Singapore-based Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd, KRBL Ltd and its director Anoop Kumar Gupta and others for the procurement of three fully modified EMB-145 aircraft.

The charge sheet was filed under the sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering at a local court here against Embraer SA Brazil, Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd, Gupta, KRBL Limited, Gupta's nephew Anurag Potdar and others.

According to ED officials, KRBL is the manufacturer of India Gate Basmati rice.

The financial probe agency, in a statement, said that during the probe, it was revealed that Embraer SA Brazil obtained the contract for supply of aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF) for $210 million and paid commission of $ 5.76 million to a middleman named Vipin Khanna for influencing the said contract in its favour.

"Embraer, Brazil engaged Vipin Khanna to secure the contract for supplying three fully modified EMB-145 aircrafts to Indian government as platform for Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) project," it said.

"The said kickbacks of $ 5.76 million were routed by Embraer through its subsidiaries to Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd in Singapore in lieu of a sham agreement," it said.

"The kickbacks to the tune of around $3.275 million were further routed from Interdev Aviation Services Pte. Ltd. to KRBL DMCC, Dubai (a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of KRBL Ltd) in lieu of sham agreement to finally reach India through KRBL Ltd. projecting the same as untainted money," it said.

During the probe, it was found that Gupta signed the sham agreement held between Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd and KRBL DMCC to receive proceeds of crime which were finally received in the bank account of KRBL Ltd in which he is one of the director, it said.

The agency also stated that till now it has attached properties to the tune of Rs 16.29 crore and "prayed for the confiscation" of these immovable properties in its prosecution complaint.

The ED had registered a criminal case following the case registered by the CBI against Embraer SA of Brazil, unknown officials of the Ministry of Defence, alleged middleman Khanna, Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd of Singapore and others.

IANS Report